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Possible ground issue, dead cluster and no start?

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Jimz1958 
#1 · (Edited)
I searched the forums with as many tags as I could think of but came up with a handful of threads that weren't quite what I need, so here goes:

The issue - two days ago on two separate trips the gauges flatlined for a few seconds, then jumped back to normal. Gas, tach, speedo all read 0. Fuel light, ABS, traction, and antitheft lights all came on and stayed on for the duration of the trip. Traction also read as off, pressing the traction button had no effect. After I parked, I turned off and restarted with no issue. I swapped out the gauge cluster fuse, checked and then tightened both battery connections, and had no issues until this morning.

This morning, on my first trip out, the same issue happened. On my second trip, the display stayed off. No readings on the needles, and all the DIC readings are null, as in ---°, --% etc. I had no loss of power while running, no difference in drive quality. However, after turning it off, I was completely unable to get it to crank. No clicks, but when the key is in the on position function is more or less normal.

-no attempt to turn over
-all readings either zero or null
-all accessories work as normal; windows, lights, locks, radio, trunk
-battery was purchased new in February and installed by me, connections are tight and have no corrosion but have not been cleaned
-all fuses have been given a cursory press to ensure seat
-lights currently on: ABS, fuel, traction, but *not* antitheft

No recent work done, though I have had the passenger side air bag light for several weeks now and haven't scheduled the recall maintenance yet.

The first occurrence was on flat smooth ground going about 35, the second was at highway speed, also smooth. The third was accelerating from a stoplight, but the final one was immediately after pulling out of my parking lot, which has a three inch curb or so.

I'm assuming a ground issue, but I'm not sure of all the locations I should check. The two front rail straps, and the front block strap are all tight but have not been removed or cleaned. Any ideas, missing the obvious?

ETA: 2007 manual GXP, LDK swapped
 
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#2 ·
I don't think it will help, but I would remove clean and replace the battery and ground connections. There is an additional one on the transmission tunnel that is accessed by removing the armrest.

I assume that you also re-seated all of the relays, and that you did it in both the underhood fuse block and the body control module in the passenger footwell.

There was a time when cracked UFB circuit boards were discussed and your 2007 would be the correct model year, but it seems that it would have happened before this. I don't remember details, but you may find information with another search.

Beyond that is the possibility of a connector being loose or corroded. The BCM and the bottom of the UFB are candidates, as are those on the ECM.
 
#3 ·
I searched the forums with as many tags as I could think of but came up with a handful of threads that weren't quite what I need, so here goes:

The issue - two days ago on two separate trips the gauges flatlined for a few seconds, then jumped back to normal. Gas, tach, speedo all read 0. Fuel light, ABS, traction, and antitheft lights all came on and stayed on for the duration of the trip. Traction also read as off, pressing the traction button had no effect. After I parked, I turned off and restarted with no issue. I swapped out the gauge cluster fuse, checked and then tightened both battery connections, and had no issues until this morning.

This morning, on my first trip out, the same issue happened. On my second trip, the display stayed off. No readings on the needles, and all the DIC readings are null, as in ---°, --% etc. I had no loss of power while running, no difference in drive quality. However, after turning it off, I was completely unable to get it to crank. No clicks, but when the key is in the on position function is more or less normal.

-no attempt to turn over
-all readings either zero or null
-all accessories work as normal; windows, lights, locks, radio, trunk
-battery was purchased new in February and installed by me, connections are tight and have no corrosion but have not been cleaned
-all fuses have been given a cursory press to ensure seat
-lights currently on: ABS, fuel, traction, but not antitheft

No recent work done, though I have had the passenger side air bag light for several weeks now and haven't scheduled the recall maintenance yet.

The first occurrence was on flat smooth ground going about 35, the second was at highway speed, also smooth. The third was accelerating from a stoplight, but the final one was immediately after pulling out of my parking lot, which has a three inch curb or so.

I'm assuming a ground issue, but I'm not sure of all the locations I should check. The two front rail straps, and the front block strap are all tight but have not been removed or cleaned. Any ideas, missing the obvious?

ETA: 2007 manual GXP, LDK swapped
I had very similar issues with my 2007 base. Rolled of the tilt back after I had it delivered with these issues.

Took it into dealership for repair and they diagnosed it as a bad BCM and On Star module. $1500 dollars later I got it back and symptoms reappeared three days later. Back into the shop. 4 more BCMs (according to the service rep), a fired mechanic, job assigned to shop supervisor, who was salary because the flat rate guys were starving to death, and 8 months later I got my car back.

This is the part where I don't tell you how the problem was resolved like every other thread I followed on this problem ends.

Actually they ended up changing 4 pins on the BCM connector. The service rep didn't know which pins but I imagine it was the CANBUS terminals because they kept telling me it was a communications issue. I would have intermittent connectivity with my scanner not being able to talk to certain control units.

I bought the car out of Houston, and it had no visible flood damage. Houston is noted for high water so it could have been driven through that. It's been problem free for about a month since I got it back.
 
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